H.C.R.ANo.A117
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 WHEREAS, The history of Texas is not complete without
2 recognition of the ships, seaports, and maritime heritage that
3 contributed so greatly to the development, economy, immigration,
4 and culture of the state in the 19th century, and the state ’s
5 preeminent symbol of this thrilling bygone era is the tall ship
6 Elissa; and
7 WHEREAS, In the 1970s, the city of Galveston was looking for a
8 ship to complement the restoration and redevelopment of the Strand,
9 known in the 1800s as the Wall Street of the South, and to help
10 Texans recognize and interpret the state ’s maritime heritage; and
11 WHEREAS, Constructed in 1877 in Aberdeen, Scotland, Elissa is
12 a three-masted, iron-hulled tall ship of the "barque" type,
13 measuring 205 feet long and 99 feet, 9 inches high at the mainmast,
14 with a cargo capacity equivalent to that of eight railroad boxcars;
15 and
16 WHEREAS, Elissa transported a variety of goods around the
17 world over the course of her more than 90 years of commercial
18 history, first calling at Galveston in December 1883 with a cargo of
19 bananas and one passenger, then sailing for Liverpool, England,
20 with a cargo of cotton, and calling at Galveston again in September
21 1886 with a cargo of what was probably lumber or sugar and sailing
22 for Pensacola, Florida, in ballast; and
23 WHEREAS, Built at the dawn of the steamship era, Elissa
24 filled a niche in maritime commerce, calling on many ports, and she
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1 was sold from owner to owner, sailing under different names before
2 being readied for the scrap yards of Piraeus, Greece, where she was
3 recognized by a maritime archeologist; and
4 WHEREAS, Elissa was acquired by the Galveston Historical
5 Foundation in 1975, and after some initial work in Greece, she was
6 towed in 1978 to the Royal Navy yard in Gibraltar; that same year,
7 Elissa was placed on the National Register of Historic Places,
8 becoming the first object to achieve this status while outside the
9 territorial limits of the United States; and
10 WHEREAS, In 1979, Elissa returned to Galveston, her former
11 port of call and new home, and intensive efforts began to raise
12 funding and restore her to her 1877 sailing configuration; that
13 goal achieved, Elissa sailed again on the Gulf of Mexico in
14 September 1982; and
15 WHEREAS, Elissa is preserved and maintained by her volunteer
16 crew, who donate thousands of hours annually and sail her at least
17 once a year to preserve the seamanship skills of square-rig
18 handling for future generations, providing guests with the rare
19 opportunity to sail on a historic vessel; and
20 WHEREAS, Restored to her former glory as a seaworthy sailing
21 ship, Elissa is an irreplaceable piece of living history, and her
22 stature is underscored by her designation as one of "America ’s
23 Treasures" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and as a
24 National Historic Landmark; and
25 WHEREAS, Elissa, with the support of the Texas Seaport
26 Museum, provides students and the public with a rare opportunity to
27 visualize the maritime heritage and culture of Texas and its
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1 coastal waters; and
2 WHEREAS, Even today, the sight of Elissa in full sail evokes
3 the color and excitement of the age of sailing ships, and this
4 vibrant reminder of an essential piece of our shared history,
5 representing Texas, is indeed deserving of special recognition;
6 now, therefore, be it
7 RESOLVED, That the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas
8 hereby designate Elissa the official tall ship of Texas.
Eiland
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______
AAAAPresident of the Senate Speaker of the HouseAAAAAA
I certify that H.C.R. No. 117 was adopted by the House on May
13, 2005, by a non-record vote.
______
Chief Clerk of the HouseAAA
I certify that H.C.R. No. 117 was adopted by the Senate on May
25, 2005, by a viva-voce vote.
______
Secretary of the SenateAAA
APPROVED: ______
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADateAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAA ______
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGovernorAAAAAAA
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